Tour Exclusives
1. Candler Park Market - 1642 McLendon Ave.
The Candler Park Market building opened as McMichael’s Supermarket in October 1954. The Market as we know it today is celebrating its 20th year anniversary. Stop by and see all that this amazing market has to offer!
2. 551 Page Ave.
This lovely renovated brick and stucco bungalow was built in 1927, and it was love at first sight when the current homeowners saw it in the early 2000s. They didn’t know much about the neighborhood then, but as life progressed they realized just how perfect Candler Park was for them. The house has grown bit by bit along with their family. With the first child, the living room was expanded, and a master suite was added. With the second child, the attic build-out was accomplished. In recent years, the kitchen has been remodeled. As an interior designer, the homeowner is very attuned to the details that go into making a place one’s own while appreciating the details that were there before. Look for the unique touch of the hex tile “flower” motif on the exterior. During renovations when some of these medallions had to be removed, they were reused in the brick patio out back.
3. 328 Mell Ave., Ste. E
Don’t be fooled by the industrial look of what was an auto repair garage built in the 1970s. The current occupants have turned this building into a unique loft which serves not just as an office but also includes a guest room and workout area. This space has allowed the occupants to keep the renovations at home on a smaller scale, using it as an extension of their home which is only seven blocks away. The building, which was used as a live-work space previously, is one of many unique gems tucked away in Candler Park.
4. Sean’s Candler Park - 1394 McLendon Ave.
The neighborhood has seen many tenants come and go in this space, but in 2021 Sean’s opened its third location here and quickly became a neighborhood favorite. The owners are passionate about the history of this commercial corner and were delighted to discover the initials of the men who built this building, along with the year it was built (1911), engraved in the concrete of an interior windowsill. When it was built, it was the first brick commercial building at this intersection/streetcar stop. Originating as a grocery store, in 1939 it became home to the new pasteurizing plant of Brownlee & Lively, a hyper-local dairy operation whose cows and dairy were not far away on Briarcliff Road! One can feel the history of this building on the inside where exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and original window openings let you revel in its story.
5. 1386 McLendon Ave.
“Little Candler Cottage” was built sometime in the 1930s, likely to supplement the income of the residents at the house which sits beside it. It was common in the 1930s to find commercial additions to homes in neighborhoods across Atlanta and the U.S., although this building type is rare in Candler Park. The first known use of the cottage was Suzanne’s Beauty Salon in 1936. It was briefly the McLendon Flower Shop in 1949 but was soon sold and served as a beauty salon once again. It is currently used as a residential rental property. Be sure to check out the innovative use of salvaged architectural materials here, as well as the secret garden out back!
6. 429 Sterling St.
This quintessential Craftsman Bungalow, built circa 1920 as a single-family home, has been a duplex for most of its life. It still bore the marking of a duplex in 2012 when the current owners moved in, which meant they had a lot of fireplaces and two front doors! In 2016 they converted the small bedroom directly off the kitchen into a breakfast nook/wet bar and popped the roof with dormers to add two bedrooms, an office, and bath to accommodate a growing family. They kept the extra front door as a reminder of the house’s history. Speaking of history, in the 1970s or 80s, the owner apparently kept chickens and roosters and hosted “the best cockfights!” in the backyard, hence the lower back screened porch is known as Little Jerry’s. Be sure to check out the gardens and the tiered screen porch and deck on the rear, which look out on a woodland vista, now in conservation, and the backyard putting green!
7. 459 Candler St.
The owners of “An Teach Dubh,” Irish for “The Black House,” have been slowly working to make this house their own since they moved here in 2021, starting with painting the exterior a captivating monochrome and creating beautiful garden vistas on all sides. Inside you’ll find a curated mix of treasures from the owners’ travels, friends, and family as well as an extraordinary collection of indoor plants. Look for the horseshoe above the front door which has been part of the house and bestowing luck on all who have passed beneath it for more than 100 years. The house is an early example of a Craftsman bungalow, evidenced by the brackets and exposed rafter tails under the eaves and a particularly unique front porch likely designed by the builder.
8. 332 Josephine St.
This home was originally a duplex with the second entrance at the rear lit by a 1926 light pole in the backyard. Fireplaces in the former apartment had been bricked up and are now decorative. The previous owners returned it to a single dwelling and added the upstairs addition back in 2002. Be sure to glance up and look at the tree in the neighbor’s backyard. It is currently the largest recorded water oak in the City of Atlanta and is nearly 90 feet tall.
Josephine Street was developed early in Candler Park’s history (1907-1910) by realtor Samuel T. Weyman and was named for his sister Josephine. At the time of its development, Josephine Street was located just outside the City of Atlanta boundaries (Moreland Ave). The closely spaced houses on Josephine indicate their construction at a time when the automobile wasn’t even on the radar, but the location, with a streetcar stop at either end of the block, would have been particularly ideal. Today, the narrow lots and proximity of houses to the street make for lots of neighborly interaction and plenty of porch parties.
9. 304 Josephine Street
This home was originally built circa 1910 and has been lovingly renovated over the last 110+ years. The present “modern traditional” vibe created by the current owners fits in well with the open floor plan and recent renovations, including updated finishes in the kitchen and bathrooms. These renovations are sure to inspire others as are their mix of modern and traditional furniture and their flare for color. When you walk through the home, take note of the portraits which are the work of the owner’s mother, the great use of space in the backyard garden, and sauna!
